The high density packaging of electronic equipment, particularly data processing systems, may involve the installation of pluggable integrated circuit packages in receptacles or connectors. The connectors in turn are mounted on an interconnection board. The electrical contacts within the connector provide electrical circuit paths between the integrated circuit package leads and the conductive pads of the interconnection board. Additionally, in such a packaging system, hold down means are generally provided to apply a clamping force to the installed integrated circuit packages to insure electrical integrity.
In any electronic system, the need will arise for checking the signal levels associated with the various electronic components to determine if they are within the design range. The results of such examination are used to pinpoint either present or possible future malfunctions of the equipment. In a high density packaging system of the type mentioned hereinbefore, the checking of the signal levels present on the multitude of integrated circuit leads becomes a complex and time consuming task. This is so mainly because heretofore, the checking of such levels required access to the electrical connections on the side of the interconnection board opposite to that on which the connector and package were mounted. The present invention obviates this difficulty, by providing a connector design which permits the probing of a single one of its electrical contacts or a plurality of contacts simultaneously while the package and hold down means are in place, and the system is in operation.